


The Return of Dragons

by TheSilentChloey



Category: Claymore, Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: F/M, has a character based on Seto Kaiba, is a crossover of sorts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-01
Updated: 2016-10-03
Packaged: 2018-08-18 20:29:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8174986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSilentChloey/pseuds/TheSilentChloey
Summary: What happens when Teresa meets a strange man who changes the course of her entire life? What becomes of their relationship? What of Clare? Rated M for safety and features het pairings such as Teresa X OC, Miria X OC and Clare X Raki (in later chapters) . The re-titled and revamped Clare X Raki ficion cross posted to FF.Net





	1. Chapter 1: Arrival of the Flier

“ _Teresa!” the small child screamed, “Teresa!”_

_Tears streamed down her face as she was held back by a man with a long cloak, his hood up so that his face was hidden mostly from view, standing behind a circle of women, all of whom were carrying large broadswords on their backs while one woman stood in the centre, her long wavy hair flowing in the wind, her face hid all that she was feeling in that one moment, her silver eyes blank and thoughtful as if she was thinking of things that were well meant just for herself. The tall woman turned and looked at the man that she had known for all of her life as a warrior, from the time that she was cut open to the time that she was standing on the hill, the small child that she had fought to protect now in his clutches, a place that Teresa hadn’t wanted for her. Secretly she hoped that Orsay might just let the child go, but she just had to know, she just had to know what would happen to Clare if she wasn’t there,_

“ _I have one thing to ask…” Teresa looked in to his dead eyes surely he would give her the last reason, the last words to ease her mind, “Clare…what will happen to her,”_

“ _That is none of your concern,” Orsay smirked,_

“ _I see, I guess that you’re right,” Teresa sighed,_

“ _NO TERESA! DON’T DIE, I DON’T WANT YOU TO DIE, TERESA!” the small child screamed and begged Teresa to live, tears streaming down her face as she struggled to break free towards the one woman who’d given her everything._

 

_As her comrades drew their blades Teresa thought that she was ready to die, she would have let them kill her if not for the scream that came from Clare’s mouth and the fear that was in it,_

“ _TERESA!”_

_And before she even knew what she was doing, her arm grabbed her blade and Teresa struck every last one of the women that were attacking her with enough skill to make them drop to the ground, but do nothing more than immobilize them._

“ _Their wounds aren’t deep,” Teresa explained, “they’ll recover if they use their yoki,”_

_Teresa turned to Orsay and felt the faint smile on her face as she claimed her final victory,_

“ _Forgive me, but I don’t feel like dying just yet,” she smiled as Orsay just stared at her with an open O, Clare jerked out of Orsay’s grasp, tears still running down her cheeks as she raced towards Teresa, the latter nearly ready to be bowled over by Clare’s weight slamming in to her,_

“ _Teresa!” Clare cried, “Teresa, Teresa,”_

_Teresa smiled softly as Clare clung to her and she said, “There, there, you sure tend to cry a lot,”_

_Orsay was still open mouthed as Teresa comforted Clare, “What is the meaning of this?” he hissed, “Just what is the meaning of this Teresa?”_

“ _The reason is hardly anything deep,” Teresa looked at Orsay, “in fact it’s very simple; I’ve found a reason to live beyond being a monster, in this girl and this girl alone,”_

_Clare still clung to Teresa crying as she said this, and Teresa continued, “There will be a great road ahead not just for Clare, but I’m sure that you’ll come to understand some day what is truly important,”_

_Orsay was still stunned as Teresa took Clare’s hand tenderly, as she walked past him Orsay decided to put his own two cents in, “You will regret this, Teresa,”_

_Teresa smiled and said sugary sweet, winning the argument once more, “I won’t I have no reason to, it’s you who is regretting,”_

_As Teresa left with Clare it was as if the warrior had a great burden lifted off her shoulders. She was free at last to do as she pleased and it was time for Clare to have as good a life as only Teresa could give her._

 

_Still reeling from Teresa’s act of active rebellion, Orsay stood gazing over the wastelands and his anger grew with each passing second. Teresa was important to the research of creating ‘eyes’ and now they had no other warriors that carried the skills of Teresa. There was nothing to do but punish her for her disobedience and get the child while they were at it._

“ _Who would have thought that so much trouble could be caused by one warrior,” a male voice broke in to Orsay’s thoughts,_

“ _There will be no trouble,” Orsay snapped, “Summon Numbers 2 through 5 and tell them to subdue Teresa!”_

_The other man left in haste as Orsay went back to scanning the landscape. Teresa would pay whether she was willing to or not. Orsay’s face twisted and his features were ugly with anger and hatred. He would not rest until he had Teresa killed._

 

“Are you tired Clare?” Teresa asked kindly, Clare looked at Teresa and smiled,

“I’m ok Teresa,” Clare told her companion,

“We’ll reach the town hopefully by tomorrow,” Teresa said, “we should be able to rest easy then,”

 

Teresa was going to find that she wasn’t the only one who had sent their sights on the town. She came across a campsite and tensed as she took in the site. It was unguarded and as she came closer to the site there was a scent that she’d never smelt before, one that made her nervous. It wasn’t one of a half yoma, it was one that she’d never smelt before. It wasn’t a yoma or an awakened being either,

“Well, well, well, what do I have sneaking around my campsite,” the male voice sounded slightly annoyed, but that wasn’t why Teresa drew her blade. It was the yoki of that man that made her pull her claymore and push Clare behind her protectively, the tone changed rather quickly, and the man standing before her suddenly became gentle and soft, almost pleading with her, “Please, forgive me, I thought you were someone else. I certainly didn’t expect that anyone would be here; I thought I was out of sight from anyone.”

 

Teresa stared at the man unable to take her eyes from his. He was taller than she was, his choppy red hair cut short and resting on his forehead with his cat-like green eyes regarding her with an air of calm. If she didn’t know any better, she could have sworn that she could see two large wings folded against his back, most likely green in colour and perhaps a tail twitching. Teresa couldn’t be overly sure however as the night made it hard to see, even for a warrior like herself with the sharp eyes of a yoma.

“It seems to me that the child will need something to eat, at any rate it will profit you to travel with me if you like, Teresa,” he smiled kindly, “ I know what it is like travelling, and I do believe that the nearest town is less than a day’s walk from here once you’re both fully rested of course,”

“Who…who are you and how in the world do you know my name?” Teresa asked shocked by his gentleness and how relaxed she felt in the same token. Enough that while she still had a grip on her blade; she did lower it a little, her guard remained sharp despite how safe she felt.

“Forgive me, fair Teresa, I am simply known as Johnothan,” he set a rabbit over a pile of logs, then drew in a deep breath and let out all over the logs creating a fire with ease, the bright red colour creating warmth and a deep glow chasing away the fading light it took all of Teresa’s nerve not to flinch as he did so “as to how I knew your name, well, I’m not really sure, it seemed to me that you would be a Teresa, since you are very beautiful it was the only name I felt suited.”

He shuffled away the dirt with a large tail with barbs on the end of it; Teresa noticed that he moved the dirt so that it would make a good place to sit. She cautiously sat on one of the piles and Clare sat next to her, neither was willing to trust the man that was standing before them in a simple shirt and loose pair of pants just yet. Teresa watched him as he carefully pulled out a sword that wasn’t much different from her own and began to carefully inspect it for damage. He seemed absorbed in his task and it was a while before Teresa realised that the rabbit was cooked up. Johnothan cut the best meat off the rabbit and gave it to them, while he ate another whole rabbit to himself (Teresa was sure that it wasn’t cooked as bones crunched faintly as he ate it) and he calmly gave a blanket to Clare from the pack that he had resting in the campsite. The blanket was thick under Teresa’s fingers and Clare was soon sleeping, warm and full of food. Johnothan simply sat like Teresa, a sentinel watching over the fragile human girl who needed protection from monsters that she was too weak to face.

 

Teresa soon found herself talking to him. She discovered that they had a lot in common and before she knew it, she realised she was willing to have him travel with her and Clare. After a few hours of talking she found herself somehow in his arms underneath his wing with Clare in her embrace as much as his. The blanket was soft as it was warm. When Teresa woke, she was sure that the tree’s leaves were upon them. Then she saw the veins and blood vessels flowing as the sunlight gave a reddish hue to the green wing. Teresa watched as the wing withdrew, the sun gently lighting their faces and waking Clare up, “Good morning ladies,” Johnothan smiled widely, “Anyone want breakfast?” Teresa gaped at him widely and Clare spoke,

“Yes please,” She said politely, shyly even.

“Of course, I won’t be too long,” He smiled and Teresa didn’t know why, but she blushed. His smile was very beautiful and Teresa realised that she shouldn’t blush and quickly thought of other more pressing things. They would need to hide for a start. Now Teresa knew that she wasn’t imagining things when she saw his tail and wings, Johnothan was something she had never seen. He ate raw meat and could burn things with a simple breath. Yet Teresa was travelling with him as well as Clare. Teresa hoped she was making the right choice.

 

Sometime later, once Clare had breakfast and was ready to travel again, (Johnothan having toasted a pineapple for Clare) three of them in cloaks walking in to the town, Johnothan had his sword on his back just like Teresa; Clare didn’t mind him at all which Teresa decided was a good thing as the child needed to be as comfortable as possible. As long as Clare didn’t mind Johnothan travelling with them then Teresa would allow him with them. He was calm and easy going, something that Teresa had been before the Organization knocked it out of her with their harsh training regime that left her dispirited and downright cold. It was going to take her a while to regain that nature, but Johnothan and Clare were leading her back to it bit by bit. Clare hadn’t minded the possibility of staying the night out in the open woods and Johnothan was more than happy to help them in any way that he could. However as Teresa would soon discover, there was much that was about to change in her life just because she was with the flier; her life was about to take the most astounding turn. She would never be able to go back, even if she wanted to.

 

The yoma was within striking range and as Teresa killed it Clare and Johnothan looked on. She was smiling as she killed it, but it was her normal mask. Humans came and cheered. The humans who were supposed to fear the Claymore warrior because she was half yoma and could turn on them without warning. Teresa was surprised to be so well received that she could only stand there gaping. Still gaping Teresa tried to wrap her head around what the humans were saying.

“A man in black will collect…never mind,” She said just as quickly catching herself. She no longer belonged to the Organization and was actually free to be how she wanted to be. She no longer had to worry herself over anything,

“Please we must do something to show our gratitude, if not a fee then what else can we do?” A young kind hearted man asked, Teresa still shocked said the first thing that came to mind,

“Well I suppose a room for three would suffice,” Teresa said, as Johnothan and Clare came to stand beside her. The humans smiled widely and rushed off to do just that. Teresa could hear singing and humans calling happily that their town was cleared of yoma.

 

About half an hour later Teresa, Clare and Johnothan were all in the spacious and comfortable room resting at last. Clare sitting on a bed and giggling as she had been for the last half hour, small body shaking as the giggles threatened to become laughter. Johnothan was chuckling as well, his deep laugh musical to Teresa’s ears. She looked at them both and it felt strange. It was as if they were a family gathering together. Clare crawled over the bed, green eyes shining with happy tears, “Can I sleep with you Teresa?”  
“There are three beds do you really want to…” Teresa was cut off as Clare fell asleep with her head on Teresa’s lap, “Poor Clare,” Teresa said softly and nearly jumped as Johnothan’s wing touched her,

“How is she poor?” The flier asked, his eyes glowing a little and the expression on his face a sight and a half to behold,

“She said she didn’t need a bed and yet the moment she’s in one she falls asleep,” Teresa explained looking into Johnothan’s eyes. She saw that they were not just green, but had traces of brown throughout.

“I see,” The flier nodded then paused as he felt what Teresa felt at the same time. However the flier could sense more than she did, “It seems that there are four women like you coming, Teresa,”

“Four?” Teresa tensed realising at once that she could only sense three yoki.

“Yes, the strongest is the best hidden, but I can still sense her,” The flier said, “She is pathetically weak though compared to what I can do on a good day,”

_Four warriors_ Teresa thought weakly, _and I can’t even sense the fourth, gods what am I going to do_ -

“Don’t worry Teresa,” Johnothan broke her thoughts with his deep voice, “I will help you however I can,”

Teresa looked at the flier and realised that he was being very serious, no hint of any male desire, just pure comradeship that was born of understanding, _just like Clare…_ Teresa didn’t know what possessed her to, but she pressed herself against his chest. The flier didn’t hesitate and gently held the crying Teresa. He comforted her as much as Care would and Teresa realised even as she saw Clare sleeping peacefully that he meant what he said, he was a male of his word. Johnothan was a male that Teresa could trust unlike the men of the Organization. She looked up at him and she spoke carefully,

“If we live through this I want to lay with you,” Teresa said seriously making his eyes widen in shock, she continued, “I don’t know why but I want to,”

“What do you mean?” he asked carefully, trying not to disturb Clare,

“I want you.” Teresa said, sensing the pull of his power and feeling a need unlike any other that she’d ever felt,

“I understand Teresa,” He purred deeply, knowing without having to ask her what she meant, “I will not fail you, nor will I leave your side or Clare’s,”

 

“So tell me, what’s the plan again Irene?” Noel asked, making Irene twinge with barely controlled anger. She was fast losing patience with the Number 4, or was it 5. The short haired Noel was fiery and hyperactive, something that Sophia was not. Irene sighed inwardly and impatiently spoke, “We corner Teresa and distract her while Priscilla takes her head,” whether or not Priscilla wanted to or not, she was the best chance that they had to kill Teresa and Irene was willing to take that chance, seeing the girl’s skills was enough for her. However she had no idea that Teresa was preparing for them and was well aware that they were on their way.

 

As Teresa put her amour on, Johnothan was already fully dressed once more and Teresa looked at the amour that he was wearing. It was clear that it protected the flier, although how it did so she didn’t know. All that mattered was that he was as ready as she was. The warrior waited for the arrival of the other half yoma, Clare sleeping soundly as oblivious as ever. It was better that Clare didn’t have to witness the fighting; Teresa knew that Clare would be horrified by how violent half-yoma warriors could be. Teresa knew that Irene, Sophia and Noel were hoping for the element of surprise, to take her by surprise and Johnothan had just ruined all that by being able to sense the fourth member of the team. Even now Teresa wondered why Irene and the others had not sensed the green-winged flier, even though Teresa herself could sense him as clear as the sun baking the deserts. She looked at him and knew instinctively that he was ready to fight if she had need of his help. The plan was to meet Irene and the others head on with Johnothan hiding with Clare until the last possible second that he was needed. Teresa was ready to fight if she needed to.

 

Irene entered the inn and apologised to the innkeeper, “Sorry for the intrusion,” It wasn’t what she wanted but the plan had to go through, even if Teresa was once a friend, she had killed a human and that was death. Irene did what she could to force her feelings down. She opened the door and to her astonishment Teresa was getting her amour on,

“It’s been quite a while. You look well Irene,” Teresa said not really meeting her eyes. Irene however spoke as coldly as she dared to Teresa,

“I’ve come for your head, Teresa” Irene said coolly,

Teresa’s expression was one of confidence as she spoke, “We’ll see then, won’t we?” the expression on her face darkened as Irene used her quick sword, “Really I don’t mind you using your quick sword, but leave the girl out of it if you will,”  
“Don’t worry this will be over before she wakes,” Irene retorted.

 

Teresa saw the exact moment to strike and Irene flinched, the warrior could sense Johnothan and waited to see what Irene would do, and then Teresa decided to prod, “It seems that your sword is stuck Irene,” the warriors needed no more words and the clashing of blades was enough to wake Clare. Teresa heard the girl stirring over the sound of clashing blades.

 

“TERESA!” Clare cried suddenly and Teresa barked orders like a mother,

“Clare stay where you are! Johnothan, don’t move! I can handle them!”

“What the…” Irene stared at the man that was half in the shadows as Sophia’s sword hit home, Teresa jumping away and Noel made her move. Teresa dodged Noel with ease and grabbed the human child and launched herself out of the window while a shadowy figure followed her. Irene and Noel rushed to the window and beheld what was the strangest man they’d ever seen.

 

Johnothan tensed and drew his blade. Despite what Teresa had said to him he was face to face with the child whose yoki Teresa was unable to sense. Teresa looked behind him and frowned, the young girl was suppressing her yoki very well; Teresa would not have known she was there if it wasn’t for Johnothan watching her back. The flier growled loudly and Teresa could sense the quiet fury he was hiding under the surface. For a few seconds no one spoke. Humans all stared at them, unsure of what to do or expect. Teresa looked at Johnothan and unspoken words passed between them, “I suppose I will stay with you Clare,” he said calmly, “at least for now,”

“I need you to stay with Johnothan Clare,” Teresa said calmly,

“But…”

“Trust me Clare,” Teresa said calmly, “I will be just fine,” The child nodded and ran to the flier. Johnothan opened his wings and took flight for the time being launching Clare into the air with him, the child clinging on to his shoulders while he held her in his arms. At the height he was at none of the claymores had the jumping ability to get at him and Clare would be safe. He sighed and somehow Teresa heard what he was thinking, as if he was thinking to her; that their minds were one somehow, _Teresa, the moment you are in trouble I will assist you_. Teresa nodded instinctively and the flier barked a low roar.

 

Priscilla didn’t know what to do. She looked at Teresa and decided that she would speak, “I am Priscilla,” she said, “I only just got the rank of warrior, it’s an honour to meet you,”

Teresa looked at the child and sighed heavily, “You realise that you have lost the element of surprise if you wanted to take my head,”

Priscilla was undaunted and asked Teresa a question that the old warrior would have laughed at. The child was naïve, and they sent her to kill the strongest warrior that ever lived? It was laughable to Teresa. She replied with her usual wit and snide commenting that had pretty much summed Teresa’s attitude towards the Organization,

“Nice in theory, but that’s not how the world works kid,” no sooner had she said that then did Priscilla strike.

 


	2. The First Fear

_Previously in The Return of Dragons, Teresa escaped death, and travelled with young Clare to escape the Organization.  Unknown to her there was a mysterious young man in the woods, he too was hiding from the Organization although the reasons he was hiding for was much different.  As Teresa and Clare travelled together, they ended up meeting him at the camp that he’d made for the night, the nearest town half a day away from where they were.  The young man was a human-dragon hybrid known as a flier with wings and a long tail.  Teresa also learned that he, like her; was a hunter of monsters.  She also learned his name…Johnothan.  She decided that he should travel with them.  Johnothan kindly offered to help Teresa protect Clare.  Teresa soon found herself trusting the flier, although she doesn’t know why she should as he was something that she’d never encountered in her life.  Little did she know the flier was to become a very valuable asset to her; he would soon prove his worth as a protector of not just Clare, but Teresa as well._

_As she travelled on Teresa soon found a comrade in Johnothan, the flier keeping his word to help protect Clare.  While Teresa was travelling through the town a yoma appeared.  Teresa killed the yoma and to her surprise, the humans were so happy that she’d killed it they were celebrating.  After a brief rest Teresa made a joke at Johnothan while there was calm before the storm.  Her comrades were coming to take her head!   Now Teresa is locked in battle with her comrades and she must win.  For Clare’s sake she must win, or else Clare will be forced to become a warrior and Teresa doesn’t want that for her adopted daughter._

 

Teresa bought her blade up and blocked Priscilla's attack, the child having decided to take Teresa on by herself clearly despite the warnings of her more experienced comrades all of whom had known Teresa for quite a long time.  Teresa could sense that Johnothan was a pure monster.  Yet here she was putting her trust him with not just Clare, but herself as well.  She could see that he was keeping Clare out of harm’s way and the child was safe in his arms.  Teresa noticed that the hold he had on Clare was one that supported her enough that she was comfortable.  He was very gentle for a man, Teresa decided.  Now that Clare was safe, Teresa turned her attention to Priscilla.  The kid was a complete novice but she was strong and irritating, her yoki was down, too low for Teresa to even sense.  She was strong like the flier had said, and what really unnerved the girl was that Teresa gradually calmed enough to get into Priscilla's dance.  All the same, Teresa was nervous she could sense that Priscilla was also a monster as she regained her composure and confidence.  Johnothan kept Clare supported in his arms, his wings beating at a steady rate keeping him level in the air and taking advantages with the slight breeze that was present.  Clare’s hair was flicking about in the wind and the flier kept his body stable with pure power.  He kept growling slightly and Clare realised that all he wanted to do was help Teresa in any way that he could, even if it was just protecting Clare by holding her safe from harm.  Perhaps she could convince him to lower her to the ground as the fighting wasn't anywhere near them.  The flier seemed to sense however that it wasn't the best of ideas as the other warriors could aim for Clare and he would have to fight multiple opponents while Clare could be in danger of being hurt something that he and Teresa had agreed to avoid and he promised Teresa that Clare would be safe with him, as he was a man of his word; he would keep it.  Johnothan could see long before Teresa what the others were going to do and he used his wings to shield Clare as he attempted to land as swiftly as he could, however Irene's sword was quick enough to stop Teresa's attack on Priscilla that would have killed the child, right after Teresa had said, “I’m sorry, but I’m not quite ready to die just yet,”.  Teresa meanwhile was taken aback only a little and Johnothan felt that he really should have moved faster that he could have helped stop that from happening by evening up the odds.  Johnothan was forced to wait as Teresa's very mind held him back, although he really wanted to join the fight and help her.  He was being torn in half mentally.  He never let a comrade down, never and yet here she was insisting that she could handle them all without his help.  He growled angrily, or perhaps worriedly, Johnothan couldn’t tell.  He didn’t care.  Clare was safe in his arms, and he could easily use his blade if he had to.  His wings were immune to cuts, but arrows and points were dicey.  He was tense and he knew it.  Teresa wasn’t going to truly defeat the kid, he knew it.  That child was more powerful than her and the flier knew it.  If she didn’t awaken now, one day she would.  He of all creatures could sense the instability of the one called Priscilla.

 

Teresa looked at her opponent and realised that she was about to face four warriors at once and while she kept the flier at bay she could sense his desire to help her, sense his power and she knew it would be something that would change the way her very life ran.  As she fought, the flier was nearing the ground, staying near the humans with a nervous Clare.  She calmly defeated them without so much as raising her yoki.  She knew easily what she had to succeed in doing and she did what she was best at.  The faint smile graced her face as the battle was relatively easy.  She had known that she had it fairly easy, she would have taken the kid's head, but she didn't know what to do.  She decided not to kill her.  It was a mistake that Teresa was going to regret, a mistake that would alter the very way she saw the flier.

 

Johnothan watched as Teresa easily defeated the four warriors.  He didn't know what to do and Clare was just as calm as she could be now that Teresa was in battle.  Johnothan mused that such a battle would be difficult, and yet Teresa completed it with ease.  He smiled.  She was a remarkable warrior.  _Perhaps I underestimated you…or not_ the flier could sense that Priscilla was not in a good place.  He sighed.  Fate would decide what was going to happen next and he knew it.

 

They were walking along the road, Clare, Teresa and Johnothan.  The warrior was joking when she said she would sleep with him and Johnothan had correctly deducted that while he was travelling with them as Teresa was still on edge around him.  He was calm and felt the flow of the yoki following them.  He paused and said calmly, "I suggest that you and Clare step back a bit, it looks like someone is unhappy."

“Who wouldn’t be happy when I hand their asses to them?” Teresa demanded and paused, “That…that’s not good,” The warrior said going slightly white as she realised exactly who it was that Johnothan was talking about.  She turned quickly to Clare and picked the girl up.  Clare was more than happy to be in Teresa’s arms and she looked at the flier,

“Well her anger is driving her and it’s dangerous, as I said before I will handle her, hopefully we can avoid bloodshed, if not…well I’d rather not think about it,” He said

 

Priscilla had been not taking the beating that Teresa gave her very well and before the other more experienced warriors could stop her she was in hot pursuit of Teresa and her travelling companions.  When she arrived her yoki was wild.  Johnothan easily blocked her first attack, which was nothing more than an animalistic rage than an actual attack.

"For a child you are surprisingly strong, yet weak in the ways you need to be strong,"

"Shut up!" Priscilla snarled her blade swinging wildly as the flier made non-vital cuts on the girl to slow her down.  It didn't seem to bother her so he increased the damage bit by painful bit.  Johnothan had no desire to over use his power, and he kept himself grounded.  His wings helped make fighting on the ground easier, as well as his tail.  He was more or less balanced whereas Priscilla wasn't balanced at all due to the speed that the pair was fighting at.  Teresa was staring at him as he worked at Priscilla, clearly able to keep her in check and yet uninjured from the girl’s wild attacks.  He knew full well how to handle a blade and Teresa felt like there was something she was missing, something that she couldn’t comprehend and as she looked at the pair fighting, she realised that Johnothan was more skilled than she was herself.

 

Johnothan barely did any damage to the girl he was fighting; he knew she could have killed him with the right training, but now she was getting out of control.  Her yoki was raising higher and higher.  He frowned and did what he could.  Teresa and Clare were staring at his battle.  He slashed at the gradually awakening Priscilla, using all of his knowledge and skill to try and defeat her.  He was a skilled warrior, much like Teresa.  He slashed at the child's shoulder and cut so deeply that purple blood splattered all over the ground and he flinched long enough for Priscilla slash his green wing with pure luck using the tip of her blade to cut him, rather than the flat of her blade.  Teresa stared in horror as red blood filled the sky.  There was no way someone bled like that, not that much blood.  Johnothan swore loudly as the pain filled his body, he was still bleeding but he was healing the wound before he lost more blood.  The flier snarled loudly and raised his yoki.  Teresa felt as if the air itself was burning.  The heat scared her, and she watched as his body grew.  Muscle expanded making the flier look much larger than before.  His fangs were bared at Priscilla and the child finally knew fear.  Irene and the others had arrived in time to see the fight begin again.  They watched as the flier released his yoki.  Teresa was uncertain how much energy the flier was releasing, but he was surely maxing out.  Teresa gaped as the fighting continued, Johnothan moving with the skill and power of a warrior who was very old indeed.

 

Priscilla grew more and more in her body, the flier could sense that the girl was giving into the yoma within her body and as he countered each strike of her sword, Johnothan's hopes of saving her faded with each passing precent she rose her yoki, "Stop this madness," Johnothan said sharply, "do you really want to be a monster?  Are you that willing to die as a beast?  Answer me kid!" The flier all but yelled at her.  He was angry and it showed.  He was also filled with sadness at Priscilla sinking so low as to awaken to do her job.  The warriors watched as Priscilla reached the point of no return after screaming,

"Fuck you, shut up!" All while Johnothan was dodging her strikes.  He watched on in as much horror as the claymores themselves as Priscilla awakened into a one-horned beast complete with large wings and she was closer to the flier in size, if he was physically larger than a human.  Johnothan growled in anger as there was nothing he could do to change the situation.  He had no choice; he had to kill her before her power got out of hand.  His anger faded and he spoke,

"You know kid; you would have made a fine warrior.  It really is a shame that it had to come to this; I really hate having to kill people you know.  I'd rather try to help people than kill them at all, but who cares, you're just another creature," he said steadily.  She looked at him, fully awakened and ready to kill all of the humans that she could eat,

"I don't like you," Priscilla said calmly as if she wasn't scared at all, "You irritate me I am just so hunger right now I could really do with some guts."

 

The flier's blade hit home, the awakened being's head falling to the ground as Irene, Sophia, Noel and Teresa all gaped open mouthed at the flier as he started to cry.  Teresa and Clare were the first ones to arrive, "Why are you...?" Teresa stopped as she realised he was truly sad for Priscilla.  Johnothan didn't hate her, nor did he speak anything other than the truth.  He was saddened by the very fact that she was dead, potential wasted in his mind,

"We should go," the flier said, folding his green wings and lowering his yoki.  Teresa and Clare followed him and from a safe distance Irene, Sophia and Noel were also following them.  Irene wanted to understand what they were seeing.

 

Later that night Johnothan made a fire with his breath and Clare ate ravenously.  The flier placed the blanket over Clare and as he did so, turned to face Teresa, "Please stay here," he requested calmly, "I won't be too long, and Clare will someone to protect her,"

"Where are you going?" Teresa demanded, she still didn't fully trust him yet,

"That is somewhat irrelevant, just know that I will return shortly," he sighed, as if he was tired of arguing even though none had happened,

"Fine," Teresa snapped, not amused at what he was doing in the slightest.  Little did she know it was for her own good that he was leaving the clearing briefly.  He didn’t feel it as the right time to tell her about the men that he answered to and he also felt that he was better off keeping her from the masters for now.  He wasn’t even sure how to explain the connection that he felt with her.  Johnothan sighed and decided that he would know when the time was right before he introduced Teresa to his Master.

 

Johnothan walked slowly through the low thicket of bushes and paused.  He wasn't alone in the clearing and he spoke calmly as if facing an old friend, "Master, good evening, is Ra treating you well?"

A man in a blood red cloak with orange crew-cut hair was resting against a tree.  He was tall and well built, his arms thick nots of muscle covered in scars hidden by the sleeves of his cloak.  He had a really good scar on his left brown eye, and he looked very seriously at the flier, "Well enough," he answered the flier, "couldst thou telleth me how the mission is going?  Hast thou manag'd to destroyeth any yoma yet?"

"Yes, but I am not alone in this pursuit, there are other who do the same thing." Johnothan said calmly, "I have chosen to side with them, Master,"

"Good, thou canest see thy goal.  Be careful, Johnothan, not to cause more fear of thou, geteth them to trust thee; we shalt nay attain the knowledge needed to vanquish our terrible foes.  I trust thou wilt be best suited to helping them.  Ra guideth thee and the Great One giveth thee wisdom to helpeth these women,"

"As you say, Master," the flier bowed, "from your mouth to the Great One's ears."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully the next chapter will be up soon :)


	3. Flier’s Honour

_Previously in The Return of Dragons, Teresa fought off her comrades in an astonishing show of skill and strength and power.  However, the human town was in shambles, with frightened humans to boot.  Teresa apologised to the humans for the damage that the half-yoma had caused.  She was going to kill Priscilla, but decided against it as the child was a worthy opponent and Teresa felt that she had a life ahead of her.  A decision that Teresa was going to regret making, as Priscilla was so hurt and infuriated that she chased after Teresa and her companions._

_Johnothan decided that enough was enough.  He had to step in.  The flier drew his blade and an epic battle followed, in which Teresa discovered the flier’s true power and abilities surpassed her own.  Once the dust had settled it was clear that the flier was the superior warrior.  Teresa began to truly question the man’s intentions, of which were still pure.  Purer than Teresa realised as Johnothan left her briefly to speak to his master; the flier was sent by his master to kill the yoma and assist those who fought them.  The more Teresa travelled with the flier the more she realised he genuinely cared for her and Clare._

_Teresa will have to rely on Johnothan more than she realises however, as there is a dark plan afoot, and there is nothing that even Teresa of the Faint Smile can do to alter that reality that will come crashing down on her and Johnothan with whom she has been travelling with for several months…_

 

Months of travel overtook Teresa’s sense of time and Clare had grown a little since Teresa had met her.  Her auburn hair shone with a new degree of health, almost down to her waist now.  Irene was a little way behind her with Sophia and Noel was Clare’s walking companion today as Clare had made friends with the ex-Number 4/5 whatever her rank was.  Teresa looked for her red-haired flier companion and saw that he was flying in the sky again, a skill that Teresa envied just a little bit, now that she knew he did it to check for dangers even further afield than she could sense.  She could see the green wings against the grey and monotonous clouds that covered the sky but he was so far up he was like a bird more so than a dragon-hybrid as she’d come to know him as now.  She sighed to herself and was surprised that Irene was even calm around the flier at all.  She would have thought after last night; when Johnothan finally told them why he was here, that Irene of all people would have an adverse reaction to him since he was in theory competing with them to kill the yoma.  It just showed how little Teresa knew of the ex-Number 2 or 3…Teresa shook her hair and felt a drop of rain plop onto her head.  “Clare,” Teresa called to the girl who was walking along side Noel, just a couple of swords away from her mother figure, “It looks like rain; we’ll be camping soon,”  
“Ok Teresa,” Clare smiled brightly at Teresa and giggled at something Noel muttered, “Sure then you can teach me how to do that right Noel?”

“Sure kid,” Noel grinned suddenly, “Let’s just hope Tess doesn’t get over-protective again huh?”

“NO,” Teresa said sharply, “I have told you a thousand times Clare, you are not ready to…”

“She would benefit from knowing the way of the warrior Teresa,” Johnothan had landed alongside Teresa and now he made her jump and blush deeply.  Like he’d done every day since they’d travelled together and to Noel’s amusement.  “It would be wiser to have her prepared than not,”

“Why are you siding with them on this Johnothan, you promised me that you’d help look after Clare?!” Teresa snapped irritably,

“Clare’s safety,” He said simply correcting Teresa’s own words to remind her of the conditions she’d made with him about the girl, “After all, we can’t be there all the time to watch out for her.  If she can defend herself she won’t be in as much trouble and we would be better able to help her.  Of course that is a very slim chance that she would have to use such defence, however with it in place she can be a bit safer to be more independent,”

Teresa looked at the flier, “Fine,” Teresa glared away from him and was stopped when the rain let loose falling harder than before, “It seems that the weather agrees with me,” Teresa said, but a look at Johnothan showed her that the flier was more unsettled, “What is it?” Teresa demanded, only to have him say quietly,

“Something isn’t right,” He shook his head and growled faintly, “Clare, you should keep close to us, I have a strange feeling,”  
“I wonder…”Irene spoke and Teresa looked at her, “What did you see from above?”  
“A town, not far from here, but I sensed something within it…human yoki of course…but…evil human yoki, the stuff that you wouldn’t be able to sense,” He added knowing that the half-yoma didn’t have the sensing capacity that he had.  Sophia looked at him,

“So by dark yoki, what do you mean?” She asked tilting her head,

“The humans are evil,” He said, “No, not even that, these humans do bad things to others and feel no shame in doing so,”

Noel rolled her eyes, “So basically you’re telling us that there are evil humans that aren’t really that evil…”

The flier snarled loudly and Noel and the others jumped at the sound, “You don’t have the concept!” He growled, then looked thoughtful, brows furrowed as if trying to tell them what he meant, then his face smoothed out, “I think I have it…you sense the yoma and your comrades distinguishing the yoki between them both as well as awakened beings,” All four women nodded, and he closed his eyes briefly, “Well, similar to your yoki sensing, I sense the yoki that you can’t, that is the yoki that isn’t visible to the half-yoma, but is to me.  I can sense not only where humans are, but if they are…like yoma…dark and evil…or like your comrades, clean and pure…with no real evil within them.”

“Great,” Noel sighed, “More riddles than answers,”

Sophia would have shared the sentiment had she not sensed something else that had Teresa pulling her blade as well as the others, “What is it, Yoma?”

“No,” The flier said quickly, shifting towards protecting them, “Something much worse than that, this creature isn’t an eater of guts, it’s an eater of blood,”

“WHAT?” All of the women and Clare all but yelled,

“A monster I know how to deal with, something I should deal with…and yet…strange in the same token,” the flier twinged and gripped his blade even tighter than before.  “It seems we have a fight on our hands,”

The beast that appeared was surprisingly human like.  It was female and had torn clothing that barely covered its body properly.  Teresa decided for all its humanity, it was a monster.  Johnothan couldn’t burn it at that point, until he once again proved Teresa wrong by making a flamethrower that was so hot the rain evaporated despite the downpour.  She had Clare in her arms and saw (thanks to the flier’s burst of flames) a place that looked safe to stay the night.

 

As she and the others got under the shelter of the cave Johnothan tried to make a fire and barely managed it, to Teresa’s surprise.  Then she realised that even the fliers had limits to their fire breathing abilities much like dragons had.  As Teresa got Clare mostly dry, she noticed that Johnothan was stretched out on the floor of the cave.  Teresa wondered if he was alright and thought little of it as his breathing was deep and even.  She was sure that he would recover in the morning.  Especially since she had no idea of how long it would take him to get his flame back...if she’d have known she’d have been more careful of Clare and insist that she stay closer to her so that she’d be able to keep an eye on the girl.  She would have made a hundred per cent sure that she could have rested with the other three.  She would have…

 

Clare had nestled near the fire, Irene, Sophia and Noel all resting with their backs on their blades, sleeping.  Teresa was equally asleep.  The flier was out cold.  They should have been safe.  Clare should have been safe.  But it wasn’t to be.

 

The rain poured on.  Night came and went and by the time Johnothan woke, Clare was nowhere in sight.  At first he was unsure of where she’d gone, her scent was still reasonably fresh and indicated that Clare hadn’t been gone long.  He walked to the entrance of the cave and knew that the rain made Clare’s scent fade.  Worried he carefully walked out with the water flowing down the sides of his face, down his back and under his wings as the rain flowed down his body.  The flier sniffed the ground and followed Clare’s scent trail until it was disrupted by the scent of another.  He doubled back carefully following Clare’s scent, but to no avail, her scent trail was gone.

 

At first Teresa dreamed that she was being woken.  The soft leathery thing that was brushing her cheek was gentle, but felt funny.  Then she heard Johnothan's voice, soft and sharp, “Teresa, wake up, Clare is missing!”

She jolted awake and looked about the cave, “Where is she?” Teresa slurred still trying to rouse her body to wakefulness,

“If I knew I would be saying so,” He said sarcastically, “As it stands we don’t have much to go on,”

“WHAT IS GOING ON?” Teresa yelled loudly waking the others and jolting Noel awake with her loud tone.

“Someone may have taken Clare;” Johnothan said calmly, “Her scent was disrupted so anything is possible, although the other scent is fainter than hers someone who knew what they were doing.  Add to that they appeared to be able to sneak into a cave filled with half breeds and you have something strange going on.”

Teresa and the others were up and fully armoured as they followed Johnothan to the last place of Clare’s scent trail.  Teresa couldn’t see anything amiss and as she looked about the clearing it was clear that Clare was nowhere in sight.  “Clare!” Teresa called, her voice echoing over the clearing, and listening desperately for a reply, only to receive none.  The only sound that they heard was the dripping of rain and distant rumble of thunder as the rain storm set to return once more.  Clare was gone and there was nothing Teresa could do to find her as the scents faded away.  She felt a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.  Then she prayed to whatever god would listen to her prayers that Clare wasn’t taken by the men in black, the men that made Teresa’s life a living nightmare.

 

The small girl struggled against her captor and soon found that she was panting with the effort.  There was nothing she could do except pray that he would decide that she was too weak to keep and let her go.  The more Clare fought the cloaked man, the harder it was to fight.  She was shivering with fear as she knew this was the man that had ordered Teresa’s death.  Clare was scared.  She desperately hoped they’d be able to find her, but in the same token she didn’t know what was going to happen to her.  The man had managed to grab her, with a surprising amount of strength and despite her struggles carried her off.  She’d fought as hard as she could and even that wasn’t enough.  Clare now knew what it was to be kidnapped.

 

Three days had passed, and Clare had grown quieter, fighting less and less the further she was taken from Teresa.  It also didn’t help that she didn’t know how to fight back and defend herself.  She was looking for a way to escape, but as the buildings of the Organization came into view, she wasn’t so sure.  Not far from her and Orsay was a claymore simply standing there in what little sunlight there was in the corridor that they were walking through.  She looked at Clare and looked away quickly.  The claymore clearly knew that Clare didn’t want to be there as much as she was being held by Orsay, her arm marked with bruises and no doubt she had bruises in other places as well.  Orsay spoke, or rather snapped at the claymore, “Miria, follow me you’ll have your new task shortly,” the claymore looked at Orsay and Clare, then quietly fell into step with them, Orsay had Clare by the arm and Clare couldn’t exactly pull away.  Clare was able to study the claymore a bit better and saw that she had razor cut shaggy bangs down the sides of her face.  If Clare heard right the claymore’s name was Miria, and Clare saw the look on Miria’s face, a look that said everything Clare needed to know at that moment in time.  She was as good as fucked now and Teresa wouldn’t be able to save her, even if she knew where Clare was.  The men would see to that somehow.

 

Miria stood adjusting to her new role as the Number 17, an exceptionally high rank for one as young as her.  However she was mostly content to stay in the sunlight patch that she was in.  Until Orsay’s footsteps jolted her into looking at him.  Then she wished she hadn’t.  He was dragging a little girl by the arm and Miria felt sick.  She looked away quickly and didn’t say a word, doing as she was bid when he snapped at her to follow him.  Miria wondered what sort of things they would do to the child and felt sicker by the second.  She knew what was going to happen to that girl.  As she walked down the corridor Miria ceased to think, she cleared her mind and acted as if noting was happening.  She came to stand beside Orsay as he yelled at Dae, telling the man that they had another specimen he could work on.  Dae came over quite eagerly, “So we have a child who had been mostly raised by a warrior huh?” He laughed cruelly, “Orsay mind if I borrow Miria?  This child could very well need the presence of a warrior you know and Miria is one of the more level headed warriors,”

“Fine,” Orsay said sharply, “just do what needs to be done Dae!”

“Of course, you know I will.”  Miria cringed slightly but her outer face was calm and blank.  This girl was about to go through hell and there was nothing Miria could do about it.

 

Elsewhere a clash of blades broke the still air.  It was clear that someone was fighting as hard as they could, a fight that they wouldn’t win.  The fighting was far more powerful than ever before.  Even if one was to watch the fighting there would be little to tell why it was happening…until the woman was slammed into the ground with the flat of a blade resting casually against her chest,

“Fuck…you…” Teresa hissed,

“Have I made my point yet Teresa?” Johnothan asked quietly, standing over his opponent, “You are a sitting duck.  There isn’t anything you can do to change the situation, believe me.  I am not lying to you.  Of course I want to go after those useless sons of bitches and gut them myself, but that won’t solve anything.  It certainly won’t help Clare, what if they’ve already made her into a yoma hybrid?  What if they’ve raped her or God help me done something worse than that?  You need to keep your head Teresa,”

“He’s right Teresa,” Irene said quietly from her vantage point in which Sophia and Noel were also sitting down, wide eyed of course as they had just witness Teresa having her ass handed to her by a warrior that was far superior to her in every way, “We have to think about what is best for Clare, and if that means holding back for now, then we do it.  I know how hard it is, gods I feel the same old friend,” Irene got up and walked over to Teresa who was struggling to come to terms with what had just happened, “We need more strength, we need to train,”

“Fine,” Teresa said looking away as Johnothan helped her to her feet.  She didn’t want to look at him or anyone else for that matter.  She was furious that despite their joint efforts to find Clare they had come to nought.

**Author's Note:**

> This first chapter isn't quite as serious as what is to come. Reviews are welcome of course!


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